Hi, I live in a small town in Norfolk in the UK. I wonder if you would be able to give me any information on a bug that we only seem to get in our area. We believe the bug is called either a July Bug or a Billy Witch. It’s a beetle of about an inch in length with a hard outer shell but the also fly and try to get tangled in anything they can. Is there anything else you could tell me about this bug so I can prove to my neighbour they exist. Many thanks. Neil

I’m guessing that our May Beetles, also called June Bugs, are what you are calling a July Bug, since it fits your description. It is a type of scarab beetle that is attracted to lights at night. I have never heard the name Billy Witch before, but it is a good one.

Hi, I live in a small town in Norfolk in the UK. I wonder if you would be able to give me any information on a bug that we only seem to get in our area. We believe the bug is called either a July Bug or a Billy Witch. It’s a beetle of about an inch in length with a hard outer shell but the also fly and try to get tangled in anything they can. Is there anything else you could tell me about this bug so I can prove to my neighbour they exist. Many thanks. Neil

I’m guessing that our May Beetles, also called June Bugs, are what you are calling a July Bug, since it fits your description. It is a type of scarab beetle that is attracted to lights at night. I have never heard the name Billy Witch before, but it is a good one.

What is it? I found this, trying to sneak into my apartment this morning – and have no idea what it is!! Is it a good bug, or a bad one? Does it bite? What does it eat? I don’t know anything about it – other than it is about 2.5” long, and is nothing I want running around inside my apartment! Thanks! RobDear Rob, It is a Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket. They are omniverous, eating roots and tubers and occasionally dead animals. They can bite painfully, but are not poisonous.

Austin, TexasWe live in an older house – it was empty several years so we have all kinds of bugs which we try to keep out of the house! Our worse invader is the scorpian after my husband was stung. But we also have a horrible time keeping the katydids out of the house. They come out at night and get on us – after the scorpian sting scares you to death. We kill probably 10 a night – between the 3 bedrooms. Even though they have been harmless I do not want them in the house – can you tell me how to get rid of them? Thanks!

Are you sure they are katydids? which are green and look like grasshoppers. I’m suspecting you have crickets, a common prey of scorpions. Bugs get into the house. Perhaps you should have a contractor find out where all the points of entry are and seal up the foundation.

Austin, Texas We live in an older house – it was empty several years so we have all kinds of bugs which we try to keep out of the house! Our worse invader is the scorpian after my husband was stung. But we also have a horrible time keeping the katydids out of the house. They come out at night and get on us – after the scorpian sting scares you to death. We kill probably 10 a night – between the 3 bedrooms. Even though they have been harmless I do not want them in the house – can you tell me how to get rid of them? Thanks!

Are you sure they are katydids? which are green and look like grasshoppers. I’m suspecting you have crickets, a common prey of scorpions. Bugs get into the house. Perhaps you should have a contractor find out where all the points of entry are and seal up the foundation.

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Hi, My girlfriend and I stopped to get gas in Connecticut, when I got out to start pumping I noticed this thing… slowly crawling around. It was between 3 and 4 inches long and moved rather slowly. Six legs, large ant-like head but a centipede like body. No antannae but large mandible looking things. We looked around and there were about 10 or so of them roaming around in various parts of the gas station lot. I came home and did some web searching trying to figure out what it was but was quite unsuccessful. The closest similiar descriptions I have found seem to be of the Protura order, but they are typically very small, and the bug I spotted did not have a cone shaped head. I came across your site and went through the bugs featured on it, with no luck. I returned after my failed web searches to snap the above picture, it had stopped raining, and this was the only one I could find. What is this thing? Michael

Dear Michael, Definitely a Hellgrammite, the larva of the Dobson Fly. We have photos of adults on our site, and would love to post your photo with the letter. I just received another letter from someone who spotted one at her cabin in Virginia, but I had no image to show her.